Apparatus for testing the fermentation of dough



Jan. 3, i928.

A. A. RosL-:NBLUM APPARATUS FOR TESTING THE FERMENTATION 0F DOUGHoriginal Filed June 26, 19,24 2 Sheets-Sheet l l H L e. 9 l( l m /S l sv 1 m /7 6 v ,x v /m j /l v 7 au Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,897

A. A. ROSENBLUM l APPARATUS FOR TESTING THE FERMENTATION 0F DOUGHOriginal Filed June 26. 1924 2 SheetS--Shee- 2 tollera" Patented Jan.A.3, 19253.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR A. IROSIElINTIBIiUlVI, F UTICA, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS Fon. TEsTiNG THE rnR-MENTATION 0F DOUGH.

, Application filed June 26, 19724,-Sverial No. 722,600. `RenewedNovember 19, 1927.

The purpose of my invention is to providev an apparatus of the classdescribed ot improved, convenient and reliable form.

l lt is well recognized in the baking art that the rising et' the doughthrough the process or fermentation isv an operation that depends 'upon`s. great variety ot ,elements including the character, relativequantity and particularly the temperature et diced-our, shortening,water or other liquid and otherlincidental ingredients used in themaking of the dough1 the temperature ot the receptacle or trow intowhich the ncugh placed and the temperature or varying temperature o'lthe room where the dough is located during the process ot fermentation'and the time during which the dough is lei't to rise and whether or notthe dough is kneaded down or knocked down at the proper time aitcr eachsuccessive period ci fermentation. lith a given known quantity andquality ot ingredients the proper time for each step et fermentationwill still be varied accordingly by a dili'ference of a few degrees intemperature ot some oit the ingredients or of the whole mixture orthrough the atmosphere ot the room rising or falling a few degrees intemperature during the process. 'It is known also that the dough shouldbe kueaded down promptly after the proper expiration ot time tor eachseparate stage ot fermentation in order to avoid spoiling the dough orrunningthe risk of still greater "variations in successive steps of thetermentation. To avoid these diliiculties dii'l'erent tables have beenprepared for the use ot bakers which tables give the duration` of time:tor each of the several steps ot terinentation which times will varyaccording to the temperature of the dough and ot the room during theprocess. Compliance with such tables is attended with diieulty anduncertainty due largely to the 'fact that the different mixtures mayvary slightly in temperature at the beginning and `also to the 'act thatthe temperature of the room may readily increase or decrease due toweather or variances in the heating apparatus sufficiently during theseveral hours necessary for complete fermentation to entirely change theschedule which. the balr iS trying t0 lt is the purpose ol' my inventionto provide an apparatus which will overcome` all oit' the abovedifficulties and uncertainties and enable the baker to determine andeven be warned when a given mixture of dough has -fermented or risen tothe proper extent.

My apparatus is based upon and utilizes the'principle that properfermentation tor` the single step of fermentation if only one rising isused or ior the different successive risings it the fermentation iscarried on in several risings is determined by the ratio ot eupansion orin other words the ratio `oit the e tent ot' increase in cubicalcontents of the dough. lWorking outfthis principle I 'have found thatwhen dough has risen to the proper extent if anyone step of fermentationitwill have expanded in cubical contents to a definite amount or ratioand that when the dough has expanded tothe proper extent the properfermentation has taken place even though the fermentation may haveoccurred in appreciably less time than expected or may have requiredmore time than expected. I have found also that this principle appliesto the successful steps of tei-mentation usually used in a bake-shop forbread in that the dough at any given step should expand to a givenproportion even though as is usually 'the case the proportions tor ythedifferent steps of fermentation will vary greatly.

The apparatus embodying my invent-ion, therefore, includes means forreadily measuring the degree of expansion at each step ot fermentationand givingl an indication vor warning to the baker of the completion ofeach fermentation step.

A further object of my linvention is to provide a` device of thecharacter described which is adapted to be readily set to 'differentpositions tor the dilterent successive steps ot the same mixture ofdough and also an apparatus which can be readily adjusted for use withdifferent sized batches of dough or different qualities of dough.

A further object is to provide an apparatus which is selt-eontainedandsanitary so that the operation of the device will not be afiectedbymoisture or the presence of ilour `or grease and which will have but asingle readily cleaned portion that has to be brought into rcontact withthe rising dough.

A further purpose is to provide in connection with a device ot thischaracter a means for indicating to or Warning the baker ill that thedough has 'risen to the proper extent' and preterr-blyY oit" haringysuch signal an electric hell whith he l and the batter;v 'tor iperat'ingthe same preterably fill la,l enA trely contained within the de\iee.

A ,further purpose if; to provide au arrangement in coiuliination o't'fthe parte so that the electric connection brought' into operation by thepresaure 'trom the dough will not he ali'ectenl or dieturbed by the adjt'tina' ol the standard at the ditlerei'tt steps ot ter mentation or torditlerent Sized batches et dt'n'tg'h.

Further purposes and adrant'ae'es ot my ini'eiiticu'i will api'nfar'trom the sl'iecitieation and claims herein.

Fig. l is a rei-tical eectiria'ial View through a dough-containlog;receptacle and loro'itndinalljf tl'n'ough an apparatus, einbodyii h j'invention in place upon said receptacle.

Fig. 2 is aI top View o'l the al'iparatue.

Fig. 3 is a top View ot the apparatus with the cover opened.

Fig. iis a side elevation ot a portion ot the bridge Support andadjacent', parts ol" the standard extending theretln'otuijh.

Fig. 5 is a Yerti al cross sectional view on an enlarged scale ot' thelower end ot the standard and the yieldingl)Y nn'innted toot mounted inits lower end.

Referring to the drawings in a more particular description it will beseen that there is :shown a. receptacle 'l' adapted to contain a hatchot dough and which receptacle usually called in the arti a trowl is anopen topped receptacle havingv at its opposite edejee outstanding`'flanges S. Upon the top ot this re* eeptacle is placed the bridge-likesul'iport t) in which slidingly mounted the standard 10 the bottom endoit which depends 'trom the iiride'e into the reetptacle and at' itslower extremity has supported therefrom the `Yield-- ingly mounted toot1l. Y

The bridgedilte support 9 is preterzthlj.' 'formed as shown in the drawings in the torni ot a liox harinav a hottoni l2. opposite aides Ylfland Il, ends 'l5 and a top lt; 'torn1in; 'j a rover 'tor said linxhinrjet'l to Haul box aa by hinges t7 towards the opposite endl: ot Athehon'.

llie'idly secured at the renter ot'y said box is a. hloeliv 18 extendingtroni the bottoni ot` the liox to the level ot the upper tsurillace ot?the cover iti, the .aid cover beine` cut awatY lroin .its side oppositethe l'iinfgeeA to the line ot the liiiitgjedv side l formino` a deeprecess t9 as appears in the drawings. At. the center o t? said lilocland vertically ar tinged through said bloel and extendingl also throughthe bottom 13 of the box there is provided an aperture 20 angular in'torni and preteri bly' Square as indicated in weich aperture isslidinely mounted the nliiright; standard 10.

Towards .he bottom ot the block 1S the aperture ,20 is enlarged bypoelzets: on opposite sides o'l the block and ijirejlerably upon thesidis ol the block towards the end ot the bridge-like support i). lutotheiil poclzete 2l. extend the upstant'line' ende: Q2 and 23 et electriccircuit contact plates '-t and respertively which platee` extendout-beneath the lilocli 2() into the eppoi-tite compartments ot the box9 and there are provided with binding posts 2li and QT respectively. On'the Sides ot the standafd l() opposite the upturned ends and 23 ot theContact plates` there are provided long` contact plates QS and 29respectively which sitzend 'troni a point: near the top of the standardto a point approael'iinp; the lower end ol Said standard. From suchlower points on the outside ot' the etant'lard these contact 'plateehave their lower ends 2S and 29 led in through openings made in thestandard and then preterably turned upward atan angle itoriuingYcontacttingers 28h and 2. respectively.

The contact lingers QS and 2W just mentioned are located at the uppercone-Shaped end ot a cylindrical, reeesa 30 extending)y upward 'trom thelower end oit the standard l0. lo. thisI cylindrical opening' 3() is:mounted a sirioolelilte member Si ha vvingtia rees 32 and 33 at itsupper and. lower ends respectively.' with the upper flange 32 extendedupwardh1 in a cone-shaped part El adapted when moved to upward positionto engage the oppoeite upwardly and inwardlyT slantine' tin-- gers 28hand 29".

As a further aid itor guidingA the Spool-like member 3l thecone-sl'iaped part El has extending' upward therefrom a stem sliding; ina correspondingljrY shaped upwardly extending` pocket SG in thestandard. lt will he understood o'l course that the cone-shaped part 34is `t'ormed ot a goed conductor ot electricity so that as thesi'iool-lilte i'uen'ilier or plunger 3l shoved only z short distanceupwaro an electric circuit is completed :troni the linger QS" through tothe linger Q9".

.From below the lower tlanee 33 otI the plunger -lt there extendsdownwardljv a short,- slianh 'l'l. plate 53S 'tast'ened as lift' screws3f) lio the hottonl end o'l' the standard l() peri'i'ianently holds thes-:pooldilce plunger 3l in place, said plate heine' provided with acentral aperture through which tlotrniriu'dl'v projects the shank 537.To the lower end ot the shank 3T is 'fastened as by a screw lll therelatively wide `light', disk-shaped 't'ooti li intended to be engageda'nd moved upward hy the dough rising' and, pushing upward said toot.

To the binding' postiv QG upon the plate 2l; is connected as by a wire-l2 one post'` oli hattery 43. From the other post ot said hattet y awire etal extends through the hox to one post 45 ot an electricallivopeated hell t-G. The other post ot this hell is connected through wire4.7 to the bindingpost 27 on plate Q5.

It will. he onderste-id that the upstz'inding;

litt] lil ` it is set.

ends 22 and 23 of contact plates 24 and 25 are formed of spring;` metaland so arranged as to spring; towards each other and particularly intoclose contact with their respective long contact members 28 and 29 onthe standard. The sprinpY tension ofthe ends and E23 is enoughordinarily to hold the standard l0 where placed but for certainty thereprovided an additional means for holding' the standard in the positionto which This means includes a set screw 48 having ears i9 for its readymanipulation by hand. This screw projects through one side of the boxand through a screw-threaded opening' or bushing in the block 1 8 andhas its inner end engage the adjacent surface of the standard l0 orpreferably as shown in the drawings engage a thin strip ofinetal 5()rigidly secured to said surface of the standard.` The object of themetal strip is' to prevent the lscrew Afrom formiimv holes iu. thewooden standard'lf).

On one face of the upright 10 and preferably the surface away `from theset-screw 48 there is provided upon the standard l() a series ofhorizontally arranged marks 5l. regularly spaced and numbered serially.This spacing` may conveniently be at half inch distances and -numberedserially from l progressively up with the number l arranged toward thetop of the standard and the highw er number extending down therefrom asmore particularly appears in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Vith a `given size of receptacle and with a given con'iposition andamount of dough an experienced baker through his judgment aided bycareful experiments and observations of several batches of doughdetermines the extent of expansion of the dough that should be allowedfor fermentation for the different steps of the process, the level ofthe dough at the start and at the completion of each step offermentation being' measured by the scale on the upright 10 assumingthefoot 1l to be lowered against the dough andv with the readings takenalways at the same place preferably at the upper surface of the support9.

Supposing that with a givenba-tch of dough and lgiven sized receptacleit is found that with the dough at 780 Fahrenheit and of an amount 'suchthat its level at the start would be indicated by the numeral 7 upon thescale the standard wo-uld be set to the number 'i4 on the scale, Thedough would then be allowed to rise until it came up and by rising`against the foot 11 operated the device to give a warning upon the bell.Under good conditions the schedule of time for this first rising of thedough would be one hundred minutes but varyingl conditions might makethat time greater or less. The dough however` would lbe readywhen it hadrisen and brought the device into opemtionD VAfter the dough had beenpunched down the standard would then ordinarily be adjusted at a higherleve'l, namely at the numeral 18 on the scale. Qrdinarily the dough bytime schedules should then rise in forty-live minutes but when the doughhad risen enough to operate the device the dough would be ready andwould be punched down, Again, the standard would be set say at thenumeral i6 for the. last rising of the dough. The time schedule wouldgive a period of ten minutes but the dough would be ready for its finalknocking down process when the dough has risen to bring' the machineinto operation. f

It will be understood that the suggcstifms of temjierature and thepoints upon the scale as mentioned above are simjjily illusH tratire fora'g'iven batch under given couditions and that the device can be readilyset at any desired elevation for tho different steps of fermentationaccording' to the ex? perience or j udgment of the baker and varying;according to the different dough he is making. i y i I r The deviceoperates to provide a ready way of gagging' the extentof fermentation ofthe dough and provides means to ,egive a signal when the dough hasraised to the level at which the standard l0 has been placed.

lt will be understood that one advantage of the device is that itprovides means to warn the baker when the dough has risen sufficientlyeven though the conditions have changed so slightly that t-he bakerhimself may be unaware of the change. `With the use of this device breadof great uniformity can be obtained. Heretofore it has been verydifficult to attain such uniformity even after a baker had producedseveral batches of desired character of-bread.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an. apparatus for testing` the fermentation of dough .in areceptacle7 the combination of a support adajjitedr to be posi- Vtionedabove the dough in a receptacle. a

standard depending from and adjustable vertically thereto7 a footyieldingjly mounted at the lower end of said standard and adapted to beengaged and moved by the rising' dough, an electrically operatedsignaling dcvice mounted on the support7 leads extending' from thesignaling device to two sides of said standard, vertically extendingcontact plates on said sides of the standard whereby contact ismaintained with said leads at any vertical adjustment of the standardand a circuit closing member connected to said movable foot and adaptedon the upward movement of said foot to effect a contact with both saidvert-ical plates.

2. In any apparatus for testing the fermentation of dough in areceptacle, the combination of chambered support adapted to lllt) lmpositioned lilium lli@ dough iii a revel iiicl, u Szimzii'd dependingfrom sind zilljiiiilzml vertically Hierdo, a loot yieliliigly iiiountcl:it lili@ lowei' @ml oil1 Suid sl'mizlaiixl ziiiil :iilzzpil lo liociigziggjil nucl iiiovcfl by lli@ i'i,-'1; dough, im electrically@paullo-:l signal" flavie@ lioliljil in lili@ clizunlioi' nl lli@support, lezuils exemling from th@ sigiizilingg' lluvia@ lo tivo siclrsO'f Suid sziiillaifd, is'xl'iczsllj: ojgifiifliiig conliic; plates miSmid. sides of lie Standard Wlieiffcby Contact is iiiziii'iliiiiienlWilli Siiil lomlss :it any vertical ziwlljusl'iiii'ii. 0l tlmslaimlzii'fl md zi circuit closing iimiiilim' wiiiivviml lo iziiilmnviililc 'l'mit nml ufliiplml mi i'lic upward iimvoinfsiil: of will'limiti lo Qil'cnl: :i cmizicl with bolli Said voi'l'icnl Lrr.

@il to be @iigzjugeil und iiiovwl lijf lli@ ii i dough, :in electricallyoperated Signal ing' dovice iiifiiiii'ieil ou lie Support, lezuls QX-l'micliiig from the sigmilling device to two sides (iii mid ffliziiilzml` vertically coiiliact plates mi said sides 0il lili@ Standardwlici'oliy Cmii'iict i'iiz'iiiilriinecl with Said lends :it :my verticalfifljusi'ineiit 0i: lili@ cominci Hind, cmiiieifl'ioiis within (hesl'ziixfilzial.

cnil', closing iiimiiliei coiineclefl lo IVwill nim'- l. ARTHUP A ROSl*NELL i

